#1 Bridge closings plague Carroll County
Bridge closures plagued Carroll County most of the year, with some closures causing detours and inconveniences to residents, bus routes, and emergency service vehicles.
In April, Gov. Phil Bryant ordered that Carroll County immediately close five more bridges, some leading to 10 to 15 mile detours. These five were on top of the 20 that were closed throughout the state.
The timber bridges were closed because they were not up to code, however, for counties like Carroll County who were trying to get the bridges that were already closed back open, it was a struggle that drained money and was overwhelming for the Carroll County Board of Supervisors.
In a five-day special session in August 2018, the Mississippi Legislature passed two bills which lawmakers hope will fund the state’s aging roads and bridges.
Lawmakers agreed to send 35 percent of internet sales tax (also known as use tax) to cities and counties for infrastructure improvements. In addition, the Legislature voted to create a lottery that will direct $80 million each year to the Mississippi Department of Transportation, with any additional revenue raised from the lottery going toward public education.
The distribution of the $50 million in internet sales tax will be split between all 82 counties based on a formula that takes into account population, the square miles of each county, and equal shares to each county. Representative Karl Oliver [R-Winona] said estimates projected for internet sales tax collections is $338 per year.
Montgomery County will receive $397,310 in the distribution, while Carroll County will receive $466,123.
The distribution to cities and towns are based on population, sales tax revenue, and equal shares. Locally, Winona receiving $147,813; Kilmichael $24,772; Duck Hill $24,206; Carrollton, $17,494; North Carrollton, $19,545; and Vaiden, $27,410.
Senate Bill 2002 allocates funds from the $1.5 billion settlement from BP PLC with the state of Mississippi to cover economic damages from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. The bill mandates that 70 percent of funds from the settlement will go to the six southernmost counties in Mississippi – the ones most affected by the spill. The bill allocated the remaining funds to be shared with the other 76 counties, with more than $100 million earmarked for special infrastructure projects across the state.
In Carroll and Montgomery counties, money earmarked for special projects include $300,000 for street improvements in the City of Winona, $ 500,000 for Carroll County to repair a bridge on County Road 157, $200,000 for street improvements in the Town of Carrollton, $100,000 for resurfacing and street improvements in the Town of Vaiden, $100,000 for repairs and upgrades to the Marshall Elementary School Road, and $200,000 for Binford Street upgrades for the Town of Kilmichael.
According to the Associated Press, lawmakers predict the bills passed during the special session is an investment of $200 million a year into transportation on an ongoing basis. They also agreed to borrow $300 million, with $250 million going to an emergency bridge fund to reopen the 435 bridges still closed statewide as mandated by the federal government.
However, MDOT stated that is needs an additional $400 million a year to maintain Mississippi’s aging highway system, no near the amount of revenue projected from the measures made during the special section.
#2 Misskelley passes away, Strachan sworn in as mayor
The community mourned the loss of one of its longtime leaders in early fall. North Carrollton Mayor Pete Misskelley, 74, died at his home on Monday, Sept. 3. He served as mayor of North Carrollton from 2007 until 2013. He was then re-elected to the seat in 2017.
He served in many other capacities throughout his life. In addition to his work as an entrepreneur, Misskelley served as the Northern District Justice Court Judge for Carroll County from 1984 until 1992.
In addition, he was warden at the Carroll Montgomery Regional Correctional Facility from 1999 until 2007.
He was a graduate of J.Z. George High School and got his start in music in the school band. A man of many talents, he loved music, and his performances at many functions, both formal and informal, entertained hundreds.
Whether playing the drums, fronting for the band, or singing the solo “Blueberry Hill,” Misskelley’s magic touched everyone. He had a wide range of hobbies, including turkey hunting, fishing, woodworking, cooking, and reading. Among his favorite subjects for information and entertainment were novels and history, especially of the World War II Era, and anything related to health and medicine.
After Misskelley’s death, Ken Strachan, who has previously served as mayor of North Carrollton and was serving on the town’s board of aldermen, was sworn in as the new mayor of North Carrollton after being the lone qualifier of for the seat.
Barbara Sheppard, an active volunteer in the community, was the lone qualifier for the vacated seat on the North Carrollton Board of Aldermen.
#3 CA students involved in bus accident
In October, a bus carrying 25 students home to Greenwood from Carroll Academy went down an embankment into the kudzu less than half a mile from Highway 17. During the incident, Headmistress Penny Mitchell said longtime bus driver Jerry King was taking students home when he ran off Highway 82 near Old Greenwood Road.
King was airlifted to North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo where we was treated for viral meningitis. Students and families were reunited at Providence Church just off of Highway 82 and down the hill from the where the bus came to rest. Mitchell said some students received some minor injuries but for the most part they were okay. She said students were blessed by the Good Lord and King was conscious when she arrived on the scene.
Students were visibly shaken up, but Mitchell said the academy united and came together to rally around the students and King. Mitchell said with the help of God, they will get through this incident.
#4 Murdock Lake dam breaches
Back in September, the Murdoch Lake dam broke due to heavy rains that fell in the area. The dam, located in the southwest portion of Carroll County, just south of Highway 430 and east of 165, broke causing flooding onto the roadway on Highway 17 near the Holmes County line.
Because of the break, Fluker said three families that lived on County Road 165 near Black Hawk were evacuated due to the breach. He said when the breaks were discovered he called Carroll County Emergency Management Director Gayle Beard and asked her if there was an evacuation plan in place for this type of incident.
After the dam breach, officials with the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality came to assess the situation. Gary Rikard, executive director of MDEQ said the dam breach at Murdock Lake was stabilized earlier this week, but a controlled breach was planned because of the risk of future breaks or catastrophic failure of the entire dam.
Rikard said MDEQ was keeping an eye on Murdock Lake and other watershed lakes in the state.
Due to the break, MDEQ closed Highway 17 at Abiaca Creek and reopened it the next day. Officials said there was a need for a closure because the lake drains into Abiaco Creek and they were concerned it would top the bridge.
The breaks occurred because of the six to 10 inches of heavy rain that fell in the area.
#5 Changes at EOC, CNCVFD
One of the biggest stories that took place in Carroll County is the reorganization of the Carroll County Emergency Operations Center and the Carrollton/North Carrollton Volunteer Fire Department.
In December 2017, the Carroll County Board of Supervisors appointed Sheriff Clint Walker as operations director of the Carroll County Emergency Services Center.
That same month, all but one member of the Carrollton/North Carrollton Volunteer Fire Department submitted their resignation, effective December 31, 2017. Fire department leaders told the Carroll County Board of Supervisors that firefighters did not support the change in leadership at the Carroll County Emergency Operations The board appointed Carroll County Park Director Art Hicks as fire coordinator, and leaders from Carrollton and North Carrollton began a membership drive to recruit new volunteer firefighters.
Eventually, Andy Vining was named chief of the Carrollton/North Carrollton Volunteer Fire Department and, following the resignation of Hicks as fire coordinator, was named the Carroll County fire coordinator. The roster at the fire department continues to grow, and monthly trainings are held to better equip firefighters with the skills needed to operate a top-notch fire department.
The change in leadership at the Carroll County Emergency Operations Center, with Walker as operations director and George Gillespie, Carroll County’s 911 manager, also led to upgrades to the E911 Dispatch Center. A new CAD system replaced their outdated way of receiving calls and keeping up with call logs. And, new internet service was put in place creating a faster way for dispatchers to obtain information from callers and to be able to tell deputies, fire and MedStat where the caller is in Carroll County.
#6 Teen charged with infant’s murder
A Carroll County teen is facing capital murder charges in connection with the death of a nine-month-old boy.
Tervonte Devon Alexander, 18, of Coila was charged with capital murder in the November 14 death of Sawyer Jerrell Holston, nine months.
According to Carroll County Sheriff Clint Walker, Alexander was originally charged with murder, but that charge was upgraded to capital murder when he was officially charged with felony child abuse.
Walker said a pathologist specializing in child abuse was brought in to review the autopsy, and due to his findings, Alexander’s charges were amended.
“[The specialist] found that it was not just a one-time instance [of child abuse],” Walker said. “We can prove the child has been abused over an extended period of time.”
According to Walker, on the evening of November 14, deputies responded to a call in reference to an unresponsive infant at a residence located at 2824 County Road 149 in Coila.
Walker said that Alexander, who is not the baby’s father, was sitting with the child at his residence for the mother, with whom he is in a romantic relationship. Walker said he called the mother and told her the baby was unresponsive, and the mother called 911.
He said after deputies arrived at the scene, they performed CPR on the child until MedStat arrived and transported him to Greenwood Leflore Hospital.
The child was pronounced dead at 5:18 p.m. on November 14 and was taken to the Mississippi Crime Lab in Pearl for an autopsy.
Walker said Carroll County Coroner Mark Stiles contacted his office with the autopsy results on November 16.
“The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head,” Walker said. “A homicide.”
Walker said in the course of the investigation conducted by Carroll County deputies and agents with Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, Alexander was developed as a suspect. He was arrested on November 16.
Walker said his department has not responded to previous calls relating to Sawyer, however, he said there have been incidents involving Alexander.
“We have had calls of domestic violence at that house dealing with the suspect, but not dealing with this child,” Walker said.
Alexander is being held without bond at the Carroll Montgomery Regional Correctional Facility.
#7 Teen charged with murder
The murder of a young man and a house fire, occurring within hours of each other on March 20 and early morning on March 21, appear to be connected, Carroll County Sheriff Clint Walker said.
Walker said Carroll County deputies responded to a shooting on Van Meter Street in North Carrollton around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 20. When then arrived at the scene, Juanvarous Hill, 20, of North Carrollton was found shot to death in the middle of the street.
Walker said multiple people witnessed the shooting and reported to deputies that Tredarius Tremondre “T.T.” Burt, 18, of North Carrollton was the alleged shooter.
“There were multiple witnesses,” Walker said. “Witnesses said [Hill and Burt] were in a verbal altercation in the middle of the street when Hill was shot multiple times. Witnesses gave deputies the name of the suspect.”
Deputies located Burt at his mother’s home, located at 512 Marshall Street in North Carrollton, around 6:45 p.m., and Burt was taken into police custody. Walker said Burt was taken to the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department where he was interviewed by the deputies and agents from the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, who is assisting in the investigation.
Burt was taken to Carroll Montgomery Regional Correctional Facility later where he was charged with first degree murder.
Walker said the house, 512 Marshall Street, at which Burt was arrested burned just hours after the shooting. Walker said firefighters at Carrollton North Carrollton Volunteer Fire Department responded to the fire call, but the home was a complete loss, “down to the slab,” Walker said.
“The house we arrested [Burt] at was burned at 3:30 a.m.,” Walker said. “We suspect arson. Thank God no one was at home when it was burned.”
Walker said those living in the house had left the home earlier in the night after they received threats against their family.
“Retaliation is not going to be tolerated,” Walker said.
Burt, who also is facing a burglary indictment in Montgomery County, went before Carroll County Justice Court Judge John Avant on March 21 for a preliminary hearing. Avant denied bond.
#8 Storm leaves North Carrollton with damage
During the early morning hours of Nov. 1, a severe thunderstorm came through North Carrollton and straight line winds from the storm caused trees to fall on some cars and homes trapping some in driveways, causing an accident, and preventing Carroll County students from attending school.
Emergency Director Gayle Beard said several homes sustained some damage during the storm. Beard said a tree fell on part of a house and car on North Montgomery Lane, and trees have fallen on Williamson Street. Hoboken Street, Mill Drive, a house on First Street received some minor damage, all are in North Carrollton. She also said the recreational park also received damage.
She said the storm did the most damage in North Carrollton. Beard said that a tree that fell on 17 Highway, three quarters of a mile south and a truck driver and another lady both ran into the tree before it was cleared.
The storm did the most damage at the recreational park and Evergreen Cemetery. The park took the bulk of the damage, being assessed at $100,000. Park director Art Hicks is working with the insurance company to begin repairs to the park. However, Hicks said a lot of trees fell on the walking trail and because they have no way to get back there, it’s unknown if the trees are the only damage there.
#9 Massey pleads guilty to Hemphill murder
2018 gave closure to a family who waited six years to find out what really happened the night Katrina Hemphill was killed.
On Tuesday, May 1, 2018, Demetrius Massey pled guilty to the stabbing death of Hemphill. Massey was originally charged with capital murder in Hemphill’s death but received a lesser sentence of manslaughter as part of a plea agreement.
Circuit Court Judge George Mitchell sentenced Massey to 20 years in prison.
Hemphill’s husband Leroy said Massey lived down the road from the couple, and he believes Massey learned his wife’s schedule. Hemphill was a nurse at Greenwood- Leflore and was an evangelist at St. James Church in Vaiden. He said on the night of her death, she was usually at Bible Study, but that night, she went home.
Hemphill said Massey broke into their home, and Katrina walked in on him. He said he called his wife repeatedly but received no answer. He sent a family member over, who found her body. Katrina Hemphill was stabbed multiple times.
#10 Tourism Tax, school board seats on November’s ballot
There were two events that stood out after the 2018 General Election in Carroll County. The Town of Vaiden will have a new two percent tourism tax and the Carroll County School Board will see two new, but very familiar, faces on the board beginning Jan. 1.
In March, Senator Lydia Chassaniol (R-Winona) authored Senate Bill 3067 which was signed into law by Gov. Phil Bryant during the 2018 Legislative Session. The bill created the Vaiden Tourism Tax.
The bill states: “For the purpose of providing funds to promote tourism and parks and recreation, the governing authorities, in their discretion, may levy, assess and collect a tax from persons, firms or corporations specified in this subsection, which shall be in addition to all other taxes or assessments imposed. The tax shall be imposed upon every person, firm or corporation operating a restaurant in the town where prepared food and drink is sold to the public, at a rate not to exceed two percent (2%) of the gross proceeds of the sales of such restaurant or business.”
This means that any establishment that sells hot food or drinks in Vaiden, those who purchase items there will have a two percent tax added to the total. In October, Mayor Mel Hawthorne said the bill could bring more people into Vaiden and make the town a prime stop. With the reformation of the Vaiden Beautification Committee adding festival displays to the town attractions like the Cotton Gin or the historic homes, the tax is the icing on the cake for the drive to Vaiden.
During the Nov. 6 vote, Vaiden residents passed the measure with 79 votes for it and 31 percent against it. The two percent tax takes place in January.
In the Carroll County School Board race, incumbent Daniel Vest was defeated by former board member William Downs, and John Phillips won the Beat 4 school board seat held by Laura Davis, who announced her retirement earlier this year.
Downs defeated Vest 438 to 326, and Phillips defeated Martha Foreman-Simpson 625 to 276.
Downs has previously served on the board during the late 90s and is a former educator and Phillips previously was a coach and a mentor in the district.
